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It’s sad to think of all the awesome things that won’t be built because some folks are turned off by the idea of soldering. Such missed opportunity! Soldering is the fun!

In an effort to demystify, clarify & familiarize, we bring you the above internet video. Please share it with someone who thinks soldering is “not for them” and together we can make the world a better place – filled with blinking circuitry!

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Definition & Origin

Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal (solder) into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the adjoining metal. Soldering differs from welding in that soldering does not involve melting the work pieces. In brazing, the filler metal melts at a higher temperature, but the work piece metal does not melt. In the past, nearly all solders contained lead, but environmental concerns have increasingly dictated use of lead-free alloys for electronics and plumbing purposes.

There is evidence that soldering was employed as early as 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Soldering and brazing are thought to have arisen very early in the history of metal-working, probably before 4000 BC. Sumerian swords from ~3000 BC were assembled using hard soldering.

Soldering was historically used to make jewelry items, cooking ware and tools, as well as other uses such as in assembling stained glass.

Other Soldering Methods

Not all solder joints are made with a handheld iron. Check out some of the ways electronics are soldered -

Reflow Soldering - Solder paste is applied to the PCB's solder pads before components are put in place. Hot air is then used to melt the solder paste, fusing components to the board.

Wave Soldering - PCB is moved via conveyor above a pool of molten solder. A pump creates waves in the pool, which rise to meet the bottom of PCB and subsequently solder the joints in place.

Desoldering

Because soldering can create such strong connections, special tools are needed to properly remove a solder joint.

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"A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible. There are no prima donnas in engineering"
- Freeman Dyson